The Comparative Structure and Function of Muscle

The Comparative Structure and Function of Muscle is based upon a series of lectures given at the University of Lancaster over the last seven years, and it follows a natural division into structure, electrophysiology and excitation and mechanical activity. Within each section, an attempt is made to cover all muscle types in as wide a range of animals as the literature will allow. This book comprises 10 chapters, with the first one focusing on the fine structure of skeletal muscle. The following chapters then discuss the fine structure of cardiac and visceral muscle; the innervation of muscle; the ionic basis of the resting potential; the action potential and the activation of muscle; electrical activity and electrochemistry of invertebrate skeletal muscle; electrical activity of invertebrate and vertebrate cardiac muscle; the electrical activity and electrochemistry of visceral muscle; the mechanics of muscle; and excitation-contraction coupling and relaxation. This book will be of interest to practitioners in the fields of anatomy and the health sciences.